As the cost of cybercrime hurtles toward an estimated $10 trillion annually by 2025, the cybersecurity landscape is reaching a critical tipping point. Large enterprises often dominate the headlines when breaches occur, but small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly in the crosshairs of cybercriminals.
Cybersecurity expert Harold Teasdale, founder and Managing Director of XS Matrix, is highly sought after for his work in the field. Through his insights, he warns that SMBs must urgently bolster their defenses to avoid becoming easy targets in this escalating crisis.
“Cybercriminals are becoming smarter, faster, and more organized,” says Teasdale, who has spent over 25 years in cybersecurity. “While big corporations have the resources to invest in advanced defenses, SMBs often lack the same level of preparedness. This makes them low-hanging fruit for attackers.”
After obtaining degrees in economics and pedagogy, Teasdale began working in the telecommunications industry as a sales manager for Vivendi Telecom Hungary. In a decisive career pivot, he shifted to cybersecurity and joined Symantec (now part of Broadcom Inc.) in 2003.
For the next 11 years, Teasdale would hold several key leadership roles with Symantec as Sales Manager and later Managing Director for Hungary, Romania, and Southeastern Europe. He was also Enablement Lead for the company’s Emerging Region.
Kevin Isaac, former Senior Vice President at Symantec, witnessed Teasdale’s work with the company. He believes his success is rooted in his unique expertise at the intersection of network computing, business acumen and development strategy.
“I do not doubt that a significant and indeed principal reason for Mr. Teasdale’s success is his unique expertise in international network computing and network security coupled with his hands-on executive business approach and his strategic ingenuity in digital product development,” Isaac says.
Bulent Teksoz, Director for Solution Architects, Palo Alto Networks, credits Teasdale for his ability to help Symantec expand globally and conduct corporate training in cybersecurity to over 160 emerging markets.
“Mr. Teasdale played a critical role at the California-based Symantec at the time when the company was expanding its cybersecurity services worldwide. As the Director of Strategy at the company, Mr. Teasdale led training the company’s business implementation teams in southeastern Europe, eventually becoming responsible for company-wide corporate training across all the emerging markets.”
From 2014 to 2017, Teasdale was the founder and Managing Director of Quadron Kft. He focused on establishing the Quadron Defense Center (QDC), which offered an alternative way to monitor and manage security incidents.
Peter Gulyas, CEO of Quadron Cybersecurity Services, recalls Teasdale’s significant impact on the company through his extraordinary ability and success in introducing innovative technologies to the international cybersecurity market.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that Quadron would not be where it is today without the critical contributions and original insights that Mr. Teasdale brought to our company, both as an executive project leader and as a company representative in charge of expanding its horizons across and beyond Europe,” Gulyas says.
Teasdale is a Platinum member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). Through the organization he is also a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and certified Critical Information Security Manager (CISM).
His skills, qualifications and hands-on experience give Teasdale a deep understanding of why SMBs will likely fall victim to cybersecurity breaches. He explains that they are targeted for two primary reasons: they often have weaker security measures, and they serve as gateways to larger organizations.
“Hackers know that SMBs are part of supply chains for bigger players,” he notes. “By breaching an SMB, they can access sensitive information about larger, more lucrative targets.”
For SMBs, the fallout from a cyberattack can be catastrophic. In addition to financial losses from stolen data, ransomware payouts, or business disruption, companies often suffer irreparable damage to their reputation. A recent study revealed that over 60% of small businesses fail within six months of a significant cyberattack.
“Cybercrime isn’t just an IT problem—it’s a business survival issue,” Teasdale emphasizes. “When a small business is attacked, it doesn’t just lose money. It loses trust. And in today’s hyper-connected economy, trust is everything.”
One of Teasdale’s most telling examples is his work with a mid-sized manufacturing company in Eastern Europe. The company fell victim to a ransomware attack that encrypted critical production data. Unable to operate for days, the company faced mounting financial losses and was forced to pay a substantial ransom to regain access to its systems.
“That situation was entirely preventable,” Teasdale says. “They had outdated systems, no employee training on phishing awareness, and no backups. After the incident, we worked with them to implement basic cybersecurity hygiene, including automated defenses and regular employee training. They haven’t had a major incident since.”
Teasdale believes that automation holds the key to helping SMBs protect themselves without requiring large budgets or in-house expertise.
“Cybersecurity automation allows small businesses to deploy enterprise-grade protections without hiring an army of IT specialists,” he explains.
At XS Matrix, Teasdale and his team developed TheFence, an automated solution tailored to SMBs’ unique needs. It handles tasks like monitoring user’s access rights, managing access controls, and detecting unusual patterns that could indicate a breach.
“Our goal is to make security simple, affordable, and effective,” Teasdale says.
Miklos Kobor, founder and Managing Director of Granpool Innovative Investments, saw the vision and potential of this groundbreaking software. The result was a $132,500 investment into XS Matrix to develop the project further.
“In the emerging technology development world, securing venture capital funding is considered the ultimate recognition and evidence of excellence,” Kobor states. “The main reason for our backing of XS Matrix and its project is our confidence in Mr. Teasdale and his multidisciplinary design team’s extraordinary technical aptitude and the team’s remarkable inventions.”
For instance, one of XS Matrix’s clients—a small logistics company—faced recurring phishing attacks targeting employee credentials. The company could detect and block suspicious login attempts by deploying XS Matrix’s automated monitoring tools in real time.
“Automation stopped the attacks before they could cause any harm,” Teasdale shares. “It also gave the business owner peace of mind, knowing that their systems were protected even outside office hours.”
While technology plays a vital role, Teasdale emphasizes the importance of education and organizational culture in building cybersecurity resilience.
“Technology can only do so much,” he says. “Employees are often the first line of defense, so they must understand the risks and know how to respond.”
Teasdale recommends that SMBs invest in regular cybersecurity training for their staff, covering topics like recognizing phishing emails, securing devices, and using strong passwords with multi-factor authentication for critical resources.
“A well-trained employee can be the difference between stopping an attack and becoming a victim,” he explains.
In addition to training, Teasdale advocates for fostering a culture of accountability.
“Every member of the organization needs to understand that cybersecurity is part of their job,” he says. “When security becomes ingrained in the company culture, it’s much harder for attackers to find a way in.”
With cybercrime costs soaring, Teasdale calls on SMBs to take proactive measures to protect themselves. He advises businesses to start by assessing their security posture and identifying vulnerabilities.
“You don’t need a massive budget to improve your defenses,” he explains. “Even simple measures like keeping software up to date, using multi-factor authentication, and backing up data can make a big difference.”
Teasdale also encourages SMBs to seek external expertise if they lack in-house capabilities.
“There’s no shame in asking for help,” he says. “Cybersecurity is a specialized field, and partnering with experts can save you time, money, and headaches in the long run.”
As the digital landscape evolves, Teasdale remains focused on staying ahead of emerging threats. He sees advancements in AI and machine learning as critical tools in the fight against cybercrime.
“The scale of the problem is too big for manual processes,” he says. “Automation and AI allow us to stay one step ahead of attackers, identifying threats before they can do damage.”
Teasdale is also optimistic about the growing awareness of cybersecurity issues among SMBs.
“The conversation is changing,” he notes. “Business owners realize that cybersecurity isn’t optional—it’s essential. My mission is to empower them with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in a connected world.”
With rising cybercrime costs, the stakes have never been higher for small and medium-sized businesses. Harold Teasdale’s expertise in cybersecurity and his commitment to innovation are helping SMBs navigate this perilous landscape. By combining cutting-edge automation with a focus on education and culture, Teasdale is arming SMBs against an increasingly sophisticated enemy.
“Cybersecurity is about more than protecting systems,” Teasdale says. “It’s about protecting livelihoods. Small businesses are the backbone of the global economy, and they deserve the same level of security as the largest corporations. That’s what we’re here to deliver.”
